Mont Ventoux Area.

nicksun

Hi, I'm considering 5 days cycling in France next year and one of the options is the Mont Ventoux area. Apart from the ventoux would there be sufficient climbs/mountainous routes to keep us busy for 5 days?
Maps and internet searches have not been fruitful at all, so any input/opinions would be appreciated.

Btw. We've used Bourg d'Oisans and Bourg st. Maurice as a base previously. Are there any other areas we could stay in that would give us enough mountainous riding for the 5 days?

Cheers.

Nick.

brucey72

Near to Grenoble you have the Vercors mountain range which is an absolutely fantastic area for cycling. Its all gorges and roads cut into the mountsides which makes for some excellent rides on very quiet roads. I stayed in a little village called Pont en Royans which gives you easy access to all of the major climbs in the area. Have a look at this website for some photos of the scenery:

http://www.grenoblecycling.com/the-Vercors.htm

InSituTravel

There's certainly enough quality riding in Provence to keep you busy for 5 days, however the area around Mont Ventoux is mostly rolling to moderate hills/climbs, but not really "mountainous". If you're truly looking for "mountainous", you'd be better off sticking with the Alps or the Pyrenees. In the Pyrenees, you might consider Argeles-Gazost, Bagnères de Bigorre or Bagnères de Luchon as base towns.

sancho_panza

Massive thumbs up for Ventoux - amazing riding. Sure there's one big mountain but dozens of stunning little ones and rolling routes. An amazing place for serious riding. Cannot wait to spend two weeks there this summer!

Have a look at the col des Abeilles, gorges de la nesque, col de l'homme mort (rough trans. Dead Man's Pass), col du Négron, col de la madeleine, col de la cheine, Suzette, and three monster routes up le géant himself... In five days you've scratched the surface.

I think any places listed above you'll have an amazing time. Heat could be a deciding factor.

Russell Smith

Nick, www.veloventoux.com Email Craig and he'll give you some good advice, just came back from The Big V and stayed in Faucon, and definitely some spectacular serious riding. We travelled down by Eurostar to Avignon (just over £110) and colllected from the station and stayed in Craig and Vicky's Gite all 11 of us !!